Unchecked stress levels can have a physiological effect on the body and may contribute to ageing. Social ties (having to turn up every Saturday morning with a hangover) provide a coping mechanism for stress.

A study of 1,400 elderly men and women concluded that those who had the most active social lives lived the longest. The added benefits of regular exercise, keeping muscles and joints supple and strengthening heart and lung functions will also keep you ticking along nicely.

Years added: 7